Athletics: O’Hare aims for Olympics

Chris O’HARE (EAC), who earlier this year made history as the first Scot to win an NCAA track title, the indoor one mile, competes in the 1500 metres in the Payton Jordan Invitational at Stanford tomorrow as he steps up his bid for Olympic selection.

His father Terry, who has done so much to support Scottish athletics, has confirmed that Chris will return to contest the UK Trials at Birmingham in June but is looking for a fast time tomorrow to bolster his chances.

Chris, who is completing the second year of an athletics scholarship at Tulsa University, Arizona, will be joined there in late August by his younger sister Olivia who has been awarded a five-year scholarship.

“Last year was a break-out season for Olivia, taking titles in the 800 and 1500 metres and the Celtic Championship at 800,” said Terry. “The fact that Chris is already at Tulsa and having a great experience there means that she’ll have great support.”

Also at Stanford in the Payton Jordan meeting, and aiming for under 1:48.0 in the 800m, will be Guy Learmonth (Lasswade).

Learmonth got his outdoor season off to a flying start with a third place at the Mt SAC Relays in Walnut, California.

His time of 1:48.23 was an outdoor personal best, though he has a 1:47.84 to his credit indoors from February this year.

At the same Walnut meeting, former Edinburgh-based thrower Mark Dry launched the hammer out to 74.37 metres, an improvement of nearly two metres on his best last season and second only to Chris Black’s 75.40m on the Scottish all-time list.